Legging



Patented Feb. Z, 1926,

Unirse sra'res PATENT j OFFICE..`

IRWIN W. MILLARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL GLOVES COR- PORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LEGO-ING.

Application filed September 21, 1925. Serial No. 57,483.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRWIN WV. MILLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, :in the lcounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and nsefulLegging, of which the following` is a specification.

More particularly the invention relates to a legging adapted to be used by foundryinen, blacksmiths and other workmen for protection against injury 'from flying particles of molten metal, etc.. or from the heat 'of nearby intensely h ot objects. i

.It is the object ofthe invention to provide a new and improved legging of a construc- 'tion particularly adapted to afford perfect freedom of movement of the foot relative to the leg` without discomfort and at the same timev to form an effective close-fitting covering for the foot as well as the leg.

In pursuance of the foregoing and other objects. I aim to provide a legging comprising a covering ofpleather or other suitable flexible material, having an upper portion reinforced in a manner to cause the legging to properly grip the leg withont the use of fastening devices` a second or intermediate portion lof fiexible material adapted to .lie adjacent the ankle, this portion being stiffened along the side edges only, and a third 'or lower portion also of flexible material providing a flare to overlie the shoe.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following 'detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the preferred forni of my invention (expanded).

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. l. is a view of the metal frame (eX- `panded). Y

Referring to the accompanying drawings, vthe inventif@ in the exemplary form illustrated has an upper portion 1, an intermediU ate portion2 and aflare ,the portions 1 and conipriusing` a flexible covering l of leather or other suitable material, a lining 5 and a metal frame, the frame lying` between the cover and lining and being adapted to support the covering and to shape the legging to the leg of a wearer.

In the preferred embodiment, this metal frame comprises a pair of vertical side ribs or stays 6, a shorter centrally positioned stay 7, and two U-shaped spring steel hoops or clips Sand 9,`the said stays and clips being riveted together with one clip positioned transversely of the vstays at their upper ends and the other clip forming a transverse member of the frame at the lower end of the shorter stay as shown in Fig. l. The frame. is so proportioned that when fitted around the leg of a wearer the lower clip 9 is 'j a substantial distance above the ankle.

As illustrated herein, the covering for the legging comprises the suitably shaped sheetI of flexible leather 4t, the somewhat similarly shaped canvas lining 5 and two flexible leather tabs, one tab forming the flap 12 and the other the hereinbefore mentioned flare 3. The flap 12 may be sewed to one edge of the legging as shown in Fig. 1, this flap being adapted to lit around the. back portion of leg of the wearer to be tucked inside the opposite edge of the legging as shown in Fig. 3, to protect the back of the leg. The

flare 3 is secured to the lower end of the intermediate flexible portion 2 to overlie the shoe.

These component parts of the covering and the metal frame may be assembled together by different methods, the preferred method being as follows: A slightly arcuate strip of leather 13 is sewed along the upper edge of the cover 4, the arcuate shape serving to draw the top edge of the strip inwardly as shown in Fig, 2 to hug the of the wearer and thereby prevent particles fi'om entering the legging around the top. The lining 5 is then placed centrally on the inner surface of the. leather cover a, and the side edges of the leather and ends of the strip 13 folded inwardly yas shown in Fig. 8.

Sid@ Seems le and. and a transverse lining and are secured in the usual manner,

`and serves to close thelower ends ofthe portions 19 of the p'ocketformed between the cover and lining.

It will be evident that the above mentioned assembly operations .mayV be pern formed before the metal frame-is inserted in the covering, thereby facilitatingthe work by permitting the ysewing to be 'done while' the materials will lie flat, VThe metal frame as a unit is then inserted between `the cover 4 and lining 5, the lower extending portions 6a of the stays entering the portions 19 of they pocket and the clip 9 lying adjacent the sea-m 16.

Inner side seams 20 above the clip 9 are then sewed through the two layers of leather and the lining on the inner side of the stays 6 to secure the said stays in position adjacent the edges of the legging, and a seam 2l is sewed across the top of the legging through the strip 13, cover 4 and lining 5 to prevent the frame lfrom moving upwardly in the covering.v The strip 13 may be folded inwardly at its upper edge and stitched as at 22 to reinforce and finish that edge.

When properly fitted to a wearers leg with the flap 12 wrapped aro-und the leg and the clip 8 around the upper portion of the calf of the leg, the tension of the spring clips acting upon the side. stays 6 effectively holds the legging in position. The top strip 13 then hugs the leg closely and the lower clip 9 is positioned substantially above the ankle to provide the intermediate flexible portion 2 below the clip and forward of the ankle in addition to the iiexible flare 3 which overlies the shoe. lty will be apparent that with this construction wherein the entire front portion of the legging up to a point substantially above the ankle, is flexible, the wearer is afforded perfect freedom in bend.- ing his ankle whereas the metal frame with the side stays extending to the lower edge of the covering effectively retain the legging in position. i

I claim as my invention:

1. A legging having, in combination, a metal frame shaped to fit awearersleg, said frame comprising a pair of longitudinal side stays, a .shorter central stay, and a plurality of Spring clips, said spring clips being spaced one above the other transversely of said stays, a. flexible cover, a. iexible lining, said frame being inserted between said cover and lining and. secured therebetweeny by seams through the cover and lining adjacent edges of the frame members, the lowermost of said clips being positioned a substantial distance above the ankle, the said side stays and cover extending below said clip, the portion of the cover below said clip and between the side* stays forming a flexible covering for the ankle, and a. flexible flare' secured to the lower edge of said covering and adapted to overlie the foot.

2. A legging having, in combination,- a metal frame .shaped to fit a wearers leg, said frame comprising a. pair of longitudinal side stays, a shorter central stay, and a plurality ofA spring clips, said spring clips being spaced one above the other transversely of said stays, a. fiexible cover, a flexible lining, said frame being inserted between said cover and lining and secured therebetween by seams through the cover and lining adjacent edges of the frame members, the lower of said clips being positioned a substantial distance above the ankle, the said side stays and cover extending below said clip, the portion of the cover below said clip and be tween the side stays forming a flexible covering for the ankle, a. flexible flare secured to the lower edge of said covering and adapted to overlie the foot, a. iiexible fiap extending from one side edge of said cover and adapted to surround the back portion of the leg, and an arcuate strip; of flexible material secured to the top edge 'of the cover and adapted to hug the leg.

3. A legging having, in combination, a flexible covering, a flexible lining, a metal fra-me secured between said cover andlining, said frame comprising longitudinal stays and transverse spring clips and being adapted to .stiften the upper portion of the legging and to detachably secure the legging to a wearers leg, a flexible flare secured to the lower edge of said cover, there being a portion of said cover between .said fiare and the lowermost of said clips, which portion is adjacent the ankle and is stiff'ened only at the rear edges thereof, thereby providing a flexible covering about the ankle.

4. The method of manufacturing a legging which consists of sewing an arcuate strip of flexible material 13 along the upper edge of a. suitably shaped flexible cover 4, placing a. similarly shaped flexible lining 5 on said cover, folding in the side edges of said cover, sewing longitudinal side seams 14 and 15 and transverse seam 16 to form a pocket between the cover and the lining, sewing a flexible flare 3 along the lower edge of the cover, sewing a flexible flap 12 along' one side edge of the cover, inserting a uni tary metal reinforcing and shaping frame in the said. pocket and sewing additional seam-s along the members of said frame to secure the frame in the covering.

5. The method of making a legging which consists of placing a. suitably shaped lexible lining on zt similarly shaped `flexible Cover, folding inwardly the side edges of the cover, sewing seams through said cover and lining to orin a` pocket therebetween, securing a flexible flare to the lower edge of seid cover, inserting :i` unitary metal reinforcing and shaping freine in Said pocket, and sewing additional seams through said Cover and lining to secure the cover and lining 10 stretched on the frame. v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aHiXed my signature.

IRWIN W. MILLARD. 

